Fire at Merriam apartments displaces residents, pets

An electrical fire at the Georgetown Apartments in Merriam late Monday proved a challenge for firefighters, who had to wait for power to be cut to the building.

Firefighters rescued several pets from a late Monday fire at the Georgetown Apartments in Merriam. No one was hurt in the fire, which started in an electrical panel in the basement of one of the complex’s two-story apartment buildings.
Courtesy of the Overland Park Fire Department

A fire late Monday at the Georgetown Apartments in Merriam forced residents and their pets from 16 apartments.

Firefighters from Merriam and Overland Park fire departments responded to the blaze, which was in an electrical panel in the basesment of a two-story building in the apartment complex.

While residents evacuated, firefighters knocked down the fire with extinguishers, according to the Overland Park Fire Department. But because it was an electrical fire, they had to wait for power to be cut to the building before they could extinguish the fire.

By the time power was cut to the building about 11:30 p.m., the fire had spread into the attic.

Crew brought the fire under control about 11:50 p.m.

No one was injured in the fire.

Power was cut to other buildings at Georgetown Apartments. Crews worked to isolate the burning building so power could be restored to the rest of the complex.